For the past 10 months, SHS’s foreign exchange students have been defined by change. For them, this
experience has reshaped their understanding of themselves and U.S. culture and expanded room for personal growth.
What once felt unfamiliar has become something these students may never want to leave behind.
Coming from different corners of the globe, they demonstrated the sentiment that no matter where students come from, they can always become Cardinals.
Elang Perdana
Junior Elang Perdana arrived at SHS from Indonesia, excited to attend a completely different school system.
During the first few months, Perdana struggled with adjusting to the new environment and culture. Being from a place different from everyone around him, Perdana often felt distant and out of place.
“The first two or three months, it was a lot of change, a lot of new people. It was still quite hard to fit in. I just felt something that’s like, ‘I don’t think I belong here’…,” Perdana said. “As the time goes on, it’s getting pretty well. I love it here, and I don’t want to leave.”
As he began meeting new friends and opening his heart to teachers, Perdana also found the courage to join the swim team, the International club and participate in SHS traditions.
From being a shy, private person to a confident and devoted athlete in only a school year, Perdana says he’s striving to make the best out of the time he has left. He showed that quick change can be positive and possible.
Mutaz Fandi
Junior Mutaz Fandi’s experience crossed over with Perdana’s upon living with the same host family.
Early on, Fandi struggled adjusting to the difficulties of American schools. He was surprised at all the diversity that SHS offers within its walls.
But Fandi embraced his time in the U.S by learning new skills like swimming and spending time with his
family. Although Fandi spent only ten months here, he is worried about experiencing a reverse culture shock back in Jordan.
“It’s going to be hard to adjust because I built a total new life here, and now I’m going to leave it,” Fandi said.
Still, Fandi hopes his time here will create a positive impact when he returns for college in the U.S. impact when he returns for college in the U.S.
“This experience will be helpful to me because it can give me opportunities to come back and study college here,” Fandi said. “It gave me a perspective of how America is despite of how it looks on social media or in movies.”
Victor Antolinez
Unlike Perdana and Fandi, sophomore Victor Antolinez arrived at SHS with clear expectations of what school in the U.S would be like.
From the beginning of the year, Antolinez pursued his interest in sports, particularly basketball. He got the opportunity to join the JV boys basketball team as a point guard.
In the beginning of the year, Antolinez struggled academically due to accidentally being transferred into junior- level classes as a 14-year- old, but he managed to persevere and catch up with his peers. He credits much of his success to joining the basketball team.
“It allows you to start with a group of friends because you start here and you don’t know no one essentially…,” Antolinez said. “And you start to get going, eventually meet more people, but it is a way to start having friends.”
Antolinez says his experience at SHS was far from forgettable. From attending pep sessions to participating in school spirit activities, Antolinez got a taste of what the American high school experience can really be like.
As the final weeks tick down, what remains is not just the experience of studying abroad but the lasting impact of what it means to adapt, grow, learn and live.
